The Feral Generation marks Andrew Jones' second feature following his low-fi debut "Teenage Wasteland" and now backed with a professional crew to fully realize his creative vision he is in his element with this tale of love in the most unlikeliest of places.
Taking the romance genre and planting it within the world of the UK's ever-growing homeless population, Jones succeeds in presenting a grittily realistic account of life on the streets that does not shy away from the ugliness of violence hitting its viewers hard with a measured, considerate shooting style that feels deeply unsettling yet never exploitative. As we follow the fate of our central protagonists played with searing honesty by both Ray Panthaki and Brooke Kinsella, we are forced head first into a nightmare world of regrets and desperation.
However, had it simply been just a series of downers The Feral Generation would not be able to sustain its running time. Thankfully, through Jones' writing and the casts performances the film is imbued with a striking honesty in its portrayal of this lovelorn couple, not afraid to present their emotions in as raw a light as possible the dialogue (though stylized) really hits home and gives the film a much needed emotional core.
Unlike the numerous rom-coms that fill our screens on a weekly basis, this is a couple that the audience genuinely cares about, sure they have their flaws and there are moments where you may or may not agree with their actions, but these imperfections only serve to ground them in reality and the turmoil's they face cast a very dark shadow that falls far beyond the confines of the screen.
A highly recommended, vastly superior second feature The Feral Generation is sure to leave a lasting impact.
2 out of 3 found this helpful